When Jessops collapsed earlier this month it closed its 187 branches with the loss of 1, 500 jobs.

BBC: Jessops brand sold to Dragons' Den's Peter Jones

Meanwhile, a south Wales valleys-based insurance broker has announced the closure of seven of its branches, with the loss of 10 jobs.

BBC: Unemployment in Wales rises 10,000 to 8.4%

In Mr. Frampton's lab, technicians spent several hours this past week rubbing the branches and weighing needle loss from hundreds of Fraser fir samples, to weed out non-needle-holding family lines.

WSJ: Fir Real? Christmas Trees in Crisis as Americans Flock to Fakes

Amidst a souring economy, the loss of commission business, and the closing of firms and branches, whether employed at Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, UBS, or smaller firms, the need for cash pushed many brokers to the limit and prompted arrangements with customers to borrow money.

FORBES: FINRA Bars Broker For Loans From Elderly Widows And Family